Alex has written for Vanity Fair, Barrons, Bloomberg and Condé…
Bugatti, Volkswagen AG’s supercar brand, and Fiat SpA’s Ferrari have sold out of their most expensive models as demand for luxury vehicles roars back. All five of Bugatti’s 1.95 million-euro ($2.7 million) World Record, the globe’s fastest car, have been reserved. Chief Executive Officer Franz-Josef Paefgen showed the car, which has a top speed of 415 kilometers (258 miles) per hour, at the Paris Auto Show yesterday. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz, the world’s two biggest luxury automakers, are both targeting 10 percent sales increases this year as the economic recovery sparks a return of flashy purchases. BMW shares have surged 62 percent, Volkswagen has gained 35 percent and Daimler has advanced 25 percent this year. “The reports of luxury’s death have been greatly exaggerated,” said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst at IHS Automotive in Lexington, Massachusetts. “People still want those luxury vehicles. Once you’re in luxury, it’s awfully hard to get out of it.” Buyers hoping to purchase the Ferrari Aperta are also out of luck. Ferrari isn’t making any more of the 80 SA Apertas that it’s already sold. The model costs 400,000 euros and was built to honor car designers Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina. – From Bloomberg
Alex has written for Vanity Fair, Barrons, Bloomberg and Condé Nast Traveler.